I had intended to 'review' as many dances as I could. This program is supposed to be easy/familiar because the dances have been done repeatedly. This is the intent of the dance list in the first place. There shouldn't be the rank odor of ball prep around the classes at this late date.
It was ALL ball prep and has been for weeks.
Deborah taught the first (supposedly the teaching) hour.
I taught the second experienced/social hour and instead I taught!
The dances we taught were:
The Fairy Ring - (32 J n circle) - Boyd
Knit the Pocky - (32 R 2) - Bk 11
Deil Amang the Tailors - (32 R 3) - Bk 14
Trip to Gatlinburg - (32 J 3) - S. Tang
A Summer Meeting - (32 S 3 set) -Bk 48
The White Heather Jig - (40 J 4) - Cosh
The Robertson Rant - (80 S 4 sq) - Bk 39
The ball is on Saturday November 7, 2015 - in two days. I will not be there but I will be done with this program and then… and then… it will be déjà vu all over again - Ball Prep for the next event.(John Drewry Night in Brooklyn). Being Drewry specific this program is not taken from the dance list but many of the dances have now been repeated 5-6 years in a row. Sigh.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
26 October 2015 – NHFM
Yikes what a night! - I have a 10 years old in the class who is an absolute delight. She brought a friend who was not. One of my dancers, who raised four girls, gave the young lady a strong rein check after the first dance.
The first two dances were for the new young lady. After the second dance I sat her down so I could reward the rest of the class with a dance for those who could. She watched for a while and then headed down stairs to join the quilters
Emma is ten going on twenty and for her, like myself and the rest of the class, it is about the dance. This lady was ten going on Look At Me.
I do not have children, I have no idea how one handles such a child so, after Pat corrected her, I ignored her antics and treated her just as I do Emma and the [other] adults. Young Miss was not amused, and did not return after she went downstairs. During the break I invited her back in, anytime.
The dance I sat her down for was Barry Priddey's Land of the Heather Hills - and it was something of a reteach. Too, there were a couple of dancers back after a long hiatus who had never seen this dance before but most of the set had. At least twice. It was almost new for them too. Oh well.
Again there was a good response - they gave it another Golden Ghillie Award (which are not cumulative).
The dances taught:-
Sky Top Jig - (32 J 2) - Houghton/Mohonk Dances
Mohonk Rant - (32 R 3 set) - Houghton/Mohonk Dances
Land of the Heather Hills - (32 S 4) - B. Priddey
Eggemoggin Reach - (32 J 3) - Price
Slow Simmer - (32 J 3) - Stephens/StrathsBabes
Portland Mermaid - (32 S 3 set) - Price
**********
Skytop Jig/Mohonk Rant :- Baby dances for first nighters and audience participation.
Land of the Heather Hills :- A lot of teaching but the result is worth it! I would put it on several party programs in a row and then semi regularly. It is that good.
Eggemoggin Reach :- My dance and, IMHO, one of my better ones. I just need to learn * how * to teach it. Since the dancers in my head have no problem with it nobody should… Riiiight!
In fact last month when I was ready to bag it (hour was late and minds were turning back into pumpkins) the dancers wanted to keep at it until they got it right. That is evidence it is a pretty good dance and so is the Golden Ghillie they awarded it.
The dance was written to The Penobscot Bay Jig, the last tune of a set by Peter Macfarlane and Lilian Linden on their self titled CD. (Invercauld 001).
Slow Simmer :- A jig by Pam Stephens. Nice, simple, fun, especially at a full boil. Thumbs up.
Portland Mermaid :- Finally! I have been working on this dance for about 2 years and I finally found an acceptable solution that makes the dance work. Everything else I have tried has had problems, big ones, sometime terminal ones. Tested twice now and both classes have given it thumbs up.
Christopher smiled, and said I had written a dance with no major figures in it. I am not sure I agree. Toubillion, to my mind is a major figure. Set and Link for 3, especially when split into separated halts is also major, to my mind. Oh well. He made me smile.
With this dance finally working I now have three mermaid dances and that means I have a set. So I am looking to publish - Real Soon Now. While looking for cover ideas I found a very nice <mermaid web site> and found several very nice ladies. This grouping spoke to me;
The first two dances were for the new young lady. After the second dance I sat her down so I could reward the rest of the class with a dance for those who could. She watched for a while and then headed down stairs to join the quilters
Emma is ten going on twenty and for her, like myself and the rest of the class, it is about the dance. This lady was ten going on Look At Me.
I do not have children, I have no idea how one handles such a child so, after Pat corrected her, I ignored her antics and treated her just as I do Emma and the [other] adults. Young Miss was not amused, and did not return after she went downstairs. During the break I invited her back in, anytime.
The dance I sat her down for was Barry Priddey's Land of the Heather Hills - and it was something of a reteach. Too, there were a couple of dancers back after a long hiatus who had never seen this dance before but most of the set had. At least twice. It was almost new for them too. Oh well.
Again there was a good response - they gave it another Golden Ghillie Award (which are not cumulative).
The dances taught:-
Sky Top Jig - (32 J 2) - Houghton/Mohonk Dances
Mohonk Rant - (32 R 3 set) - Houghton/Mohonk Dances
Land of the Heather Hills - (32 S 4) - B. Priddey
Eggemoggin Reach - (32 J 3) - Price
Slow Simmer - (32 J 3) - Stephens/StrathsBabes
Portland Mermaid - (32 S 3 set) - Price
**********
Skytop Jig/Mohonk Rant :- Baby dances for first nighters and audience participation.
Land of the Heather Hills :- A lot of teaching but the result is worth it! I would put it on several party programs in a row and then semi regularly. It is that good.
Eggemoggin Reach :- My dance and, IMHO, one of my better ones. I just need to learn * how * to teach it. Since the dancers in my head have no problem with it nobody should… Riiiight!
In fact last month when I was ready to bag it (hour was late and minds were turning back into pumpkins) the dancers wanted to keep at it until they got it right. That is evidence it is a pretty good dance and so is the Golden Ghillie they awarded it.
The dance was written to The Penobscot Bay Jig, the last tune of a set by Peter Macfarlane and Lilian Linden on their self titled CD. (Invercauld 001).
Slow Simmer :- A jig by Pam Stephens. Nice, simple, fun, especially at a full boil. Thumbs up.
Portland Mermaid :- Finally! I have been working on this dance for about 2 years and I finally found an acceptable solution that makes the dance work. Everything else I have tried has had problems, big ones, sometime terminal ones. Tested twice now and both classes have given it thumbs up.
Christopher smiled, and said I had written a dance with no major figures in it. I am not sure I agree. Toubillion, to my mind is a major figure. Set and Link for 3, especially when split into separated halts is also major, to my mind. Oh well. He made me smile.
With this dance finally working I now have three mermaid dances and that means I have a set. So I am looking to publish - Real Soon Now. While looking for cover ideas I found a very nice <mermaid web site> and found several very nice ladies. This grouping spoke to me;
.
As did she.
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